Uncategorized

Livin’, Lovin’ Losin’: Songs of the Louvin Brothers is an exemplary traditional country, bluegrass and gospel album in tribute to one of the purist country duos ever to sing high and lonesome. The brothers, Charlie and Ira, recorded in the ’50s and early ’60s before Ira died at only 41 …

Faith Hill’s Cry is nominated for Country Album of the Year – it’s good but there is nothing “country” about it, baby. The comely Faith Hill’s Cry also treads far from the beaten path of traditional country, but in the somewhat daring direction of R&B. The title track is a …

Shania Twain’s Up! is nominated for Country Album of the Year. What can one say about five-time Grammy winning country-pop exemplar Shania Twain? In the obsessive hands of her producer, husband and co-songwriter Mutt Lange — who had previously molded the likes of AC/DC, Bryan Adams, the Cars, Def Leppard, …

Lyle Lovett, who has won four Grammys, is in many ways a younger Willie Nelson: a unique Texas singer/songwriter who combines country, folk, Western swing, blues, and Tin Pan Alley popular music into a seamless, personal whole. His latest, My Baby Don’t Tolerate, is a very good, but not great …

Willie Nelson, who has shared the stage with everyone and the horses they rode in on, trots out a staggering array of musical friends on his 70th birthday celebration record, Live and Kickin’, a fascinating testament to Nelson’s place in American culture, but ultimately too much of an “event” to …

Missy Elliott has become the most important woman in hip-hop – the nomination of her Under Construction for Album of the Year reflects that. Missy Elliott’s Under Construction is something of a surprise nomination, though not an unpleasant one. Though coded in the language of the hood, Elliott’s message is …

Check out your Valentine’s Day message from Outkast here. Outkast will win big at the Grammys tomorrow night – here’s why: Outkast’s double-CD extravaganza, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below their fifth album, the two members of Outkast (winners of three previous rap Grammys) have taken the audacious gamble of recording two completely …

Great story in the Washington Post about a comedy duo who shared the bill with the Fab Four in their U.S. debut on the Ed Sullivan Show, February 9, 1964. I was five at the time – my parents tell me I watched it with them, but I honestly don’t …

Most of us have seen the Pepsi/Apple ad that debuted at the Super Bowl for the giant music download giveaway they are jointly promoting. Brian Flemming doesn’t like it one bit and made a little film about it. James Saldana doesn’t like it either and has made a parody of …

The Smoking Gun has the details on the first known lawsuit filed in connection with the Great Super Bowl Flash of 2004: A Tennessee woman yesterday filed a proposed class action lawsuit “on behalf of all Americans” who watched the Super Bowl halftime show and were somehow injured by Miss …